IPAA ESA Newsletter – 9/20/13

Issues

FWS Announces Assessment for the Gunnison Sage-Grouse. This week, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released a draft economic analysis and draft environmental assessment regarding a proposal to designate 1.7 million acres of critical habitat for the Gunnison sage-grouse in southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado. According to the FWS:

“The economic analysis estimates the economic impacts of Gunnison sage-grouse conservation efforts associated with livestock grazing, agriculture and water management, mineral and fossil fuel extraction, residential and related development, renewable energy development, recreation, and transportation activities. Only areas that contain habitat essential to the conservation of the species and where the benefits of this habitat outweigh potential economic impacts will be included in the final designation. The Service will use the draft environmental assessment to help decide whether critical habitat will be designated as proposed, if the proposed action requires refinement, or if further analysis is needed through preparation of an environmental impact statement.”

The FWS is reopening the public comment period on the proposal to list the species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and designate critical habitat until October 19, 2013. The FWS draft economic analysis is available HERE. The draft environmental assessment is available HERE.

Rep. Bishop Flags Mismanagement of the Hookless Cactus. Today, Representative Rob Bishop of Utah’s 1^st District submitted a letter to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell regarding the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) management of the Hookless Cactus, a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In his letter, Rep. Bishop highlights concerns regarding how the FWS’s management of the cactus is hindering energy development in the Uintah Basin. Both the state and the Tribe’s Reservation rely on the development of the Uintah Basin’s extensive energy resources for employment, funding, and investment. Read the full letter to the Secretary HERE.

WAFWA Announces Further Efforts to Conserve the Lesser Prairie Chicken. This week the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) released the 4th Version of its Lesser Prairie-Chicken (LPC) Range-wide Conservation Plan (RWP). According to WAFWA, the document reflects input gathered over 70 meetings with industry and agricultural stakeholders across the LPC’s five state range. It also includes over 300 comments received in response to earlier drafts. Read the full plan HERE.

Wyoming Opens Land for Energy Development While Protecting Sage Grouse. The state of Wyoming and Chesapeake Energy have worked out a plan to enable oil production while maintaining and protecting the state’s sage grouse population. The agreement modifies existing sage grouse habitat protections to enable energy development in Douglas County where the company holds oil and gas leases. In 2011, Wyoming established these areas as part of the state’s plan to conserve sage grouse habitat and avoid a federal listing of the bird under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  The area is divided into three areas with differing levels of conservation protection.  As NPR explains:

“Ten percent of the area is classified as prime sage grouse habitat and is excluded from drilling activity for the next three years. Another 20 percent is subject to some restrictions on when and where drilling can happen. The rest of the area is categorized as low-quality habitat, and is mostly open to development.”

Chesapeake has also committed $2.8 million to restore sage grouse habitat in the Douglas Core Area, emphasizing its role as both an energy developer and environmental steward of the habitat region.

In the News

County launches own study to check sage-grouse habitat. Sky-Hi News. To avoid listing the bird as an endangered species, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which manages 52 percent of the greater sage-grouse national lands, has partnered with the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and other agencies on environmental impact statements recommending ways to protect the birds.

Nev.’s blue butterfly listed as endangered species. Associated Press. Nevada’s iridescent Mount Charleston Blue Butterfly will get extra protection under the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week officially classified the delicate gray and baby blue insect as endangered.

Apache Donates 1 Millionth Tree For Black Bear Habitat. Wall Street Journal (Press Release). The Louisiana black bear was listed as “threatened” in 1992 under the guidelines of the Endangered Species Act. The decline of the black bear species was attributed to habitat loss, significant habitat alteration, reduction of the bears’ range and unregulated harvesting. Primarily due to the development of row-crop agriculture, 80 percent of the forestland in the Lower Mississippi River Valley was cleared.

Gunnison sage grouse listing, protection will cost millions to Utah, Colorado. Deseret News. A newly-released economic analysis predicts that federal protection of Gunnison sage grouse habitat in Utah and Colorado will cost as much as $12 million over the next 20 years.

WVa wind farm could kill dozens of endangered bats. Associated Press. The estimated death toll comes as Beech Ridge Energy requests a permit under the federal Endangered Species Act that would allow the “incidental take,” or killing, of endangered bats that collide with the turbines. The law, however, requires permit applicants to meet a certain threshold for minimizing damage to endangered wildlife.

Colo. habitat expansion gets oil and gas industry support. E&E News (sub req’d). Colorado’s oil and gas regulatory agency agreed yesterday to expand the acreage in formally designated sensitive wildlife habitat areas that require the industry to consult with state wildlife officials and avoid impacts before drilling wells.

Mono Supervisors: access road, new facility and Sage Grouse. Sierra Wave. In other matters, the